Question re 'underlying condition'

[Polly159]

Not been on the forum for a while, so perhaps this question has been answered (many times!) - so apologies. Simple question (!) Is Afib considered an 'underlying condition' re self-isolation if that happens? And, I suppose will it 'depend' on 'level' of Afib?

Feel free to direct/redirect me!

Thanks

Polly

[CDreamer]

My understanding - not a definitive list:-

Diabetes, any lung condition - COPD, Asthma etc, Cardiovascular Disease, Autoimmune Diseases - anyone taking immune suppressants, Cancers especially if being treated - those sorts of things.

Lone AF or other arrythmias - as far as is known - is not considered ‘an underlying condition’.

[Polly159]

Just looking again at the list (think I was looking specifically for af!) so thinking AF might come under cardiovascular disease?

[doodle68 in reply to Polly159]

Hello Polly my understanding is that AF is classed a 'Cardiovascular Disease' in the USA (and maybe other places) but not in the UK so not on the list qualifying as an 'underlying condition’.

I think the virus is so new we really don't know an awful lot for sure but logic tells me if you have controlled AF and catch the virus you are the same as the rest of the 'not at special risk' category of the population.

However commonsense tells me , if like me you have regular episodes of syptomatic P-AF causing breathlessness and a fast HR you should take care and could in trouble if you catch the C19 virus and have an episode at the same time.

I have found any illness seems to exacerbate my P-AF so as I am retired and able to do so I am already limiting my contact with people. I do have co morbitities anyway .

[MarinaT]

Just heard on the news that Heart Failure is on the high risk list. As I have heart failure, I may have to abide by any future instructions. So much for my thinking that af would not be a problem!

[Octopus52]

Hope you are well. It has been advised that anyone who has been advised to have the annual flu vaccination is included in those required to self isolate for 12 weeks. This has come from Chris Whittier and his team. Hope this helps anyone who is unsure

[Polly159 in reply to Octopus52]

Thanks, Octopus52. In Scotland, possibly elsewhere, too, you get the flu jag if you're 65 or over no matter what your health condition. So maybe healthy 65 to 70 year olds are OK. Our GP practice has just started phoning people to let them know if they have an underlying condition that requires the 12/16 week self-isolation - waiting to hear from them (or not.....)

All the best

Polly

[Octopus52]

Fingers crossed - I am waiting too. All the best

[barbara2]

Here's a little piece of an answer:

Have patients with COVID-19 developed heart rhythm abnormalities?

We have not observed a high number of arrhythmia cases specifically related to this virus. As with any bacterial or viral infection, there can be an increase of stress on the body through a condition called sepsis (systemic infection) from which arrhythmias can arise.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) – the most common type of arrhythmia – is commonly triggered by an infection. There have been reports of COVID-19 patients with heart block, when the heart beats too slowly, and ventricular tachycardia, when the heart beats too fast, but fortunately this appears to occur in fewer than 10% of cases. We are on the lookout for arrhythmia cases in all patients in our COVID-19 units at UChicago Medicine and are actively performing analyses.

If medications hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin are proven to be effective for COVID-19 and emerge as mainstay treatments, we may need to be careful to watch out for QT prolongation, a rare side effect that can create a dangerous arrhythmia.